Abstract P6-05-16: Social isolation induces gut dysbiosis, mitochondrial metabolic dysfunction, and infiltration of tumor immunosuppressive cells: do they explain enhanced mammary tumorigenesis?
Authors: Fabia de Oliveira Andrade, Lu Jin, Vivek Verma, Maddie McDermott, Chris Staley, Leena Hilakivi-Clarke
Journal: Cancer Research (2023)

Abstract Inadequate social contacts and loneliness, often referred to as social isolation (SI), are associated with increased mortality from many diseases, including breast cancer. Up to 41% of breast cancer patients have been identified as feeling socially isolated. Moreover, socially isolated breast cancer survivors have a 43% higher risk of recurrence than socially integrated survivors. To prevent increased mortality, biological mechanisms which mediate the effects of SI on cancer need to be identified. One unexplored, but possible mechanism is through the gut microbiota. Through bidirectional interactions, the gut is affected by stress and the gut microbiota in turn can modulate stress response, host immunity and metabolism. Here we tested the hypothesis that SI induces gut dysbiosis. In our study, repeated in four separate experiments, adult female mice were divided into two groups – those kept group housed (GH, 4 mice per cage) and those housed singly in SI for 4 weeks. Several differences in the gut microbial family, genus and species levels were seen, but the differences were mostly unique to each of the four experiment. Beta-diversity was increased in three of the four studies in SI mice. Since beta-diversity is increased by aging, SI may accelerate the aging process. At the genus level, SI significantly suppressed the abundance of Akkermansia in all four studies and increased Acetatifactor in three studies. These two bacterial changes are expected to disrupt mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), most likely by suppressing the short-chain fatty acid production. Further, low Akkermansia and high Acetatifactor are expected to increase inflammation. In a separate study, we discovered that SI impaired OXPHOS and activated inflammatory pathways in the mammary gland. We also have assessed immune cells in the spleen. SI increased the frequency of pro-inflammatory CD4+RORy+ cells, and the immunosuppressive Treg (CD4+Foxp3+) and PMN-MDSCs cells. In addition, SI increased PD1 expression in Foxp3+ cells, suggesting that anti-PD1 therapy might adversely affect socially isolated breast cancer patients by invigorating Treg cells. We are currently studying if the changes in the gut microbiota in SI mice are causally linked to their impaired mitochondrial metabolism, immunosuppression and increased mammary cancer mortality. We also plan to investigate if dietary modifications can reverse gut dysbiosis in SI mice and prevent their increased mortality from mammary cancer. Citation Format: Fabia de Oliveira Andrade, Lu Jin, Vivek Verma, Maddie McDermott, Chris Staley, Leena Hilakivi-Clarke. Social isolation induces gut dysbiosis, mitochondrial metabolic dysfunction, and infiltration of tumor immunosuppressive cells: do they explain enhanced mammary tumorigenesis? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-05-16.